Mine car sealing device



July 8, 1952 H. w. SANFORD MINE CAR SEALING DEVICE Filed Dec. 23, 1947 w i dg,

Patented July 8, 1952 t A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINE CAR SEALING DEVICE .Hugh w. Sanford, Knoxville, Tenn, asSignor to p The Sanford Investment Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application December 23, 1947, Serial No.793g399 This inventionrelates to improvements mine car sealing devices, particularly for sealing the drop bottom doors of mine cars :used for transporting coal or other materials from :a loading point to a point of discharge, where such materials are discharged through the bottom of the carupon release of the drop :bottom doors there- In ni'ine ca-rs lused f'o'r "the transportation of coal -and-other loose ladihg it is important that the drop bottom doors be sealed at the opposite edges thereof against the leakage of coal :between the edges of the doors'hnd the side :sills :of the car. It is di'fiici-rli; to dorm the doors so these will fit soclos'ely to -the *i-nside faces of the side 'sillsas to prevent the leakage of loosecoal there- 'be'tween. Consequently; "special provision should be made for sealing the space between the edges "of the doors and the side sills against the leakage-oi? coal therebetween.- i l The object- 'o'f this invention is to improve the construction of mine cars, especial-1y or large capacity, and particularly the means for sealing the lateral edges -'of the drop bottom -do'ors, whereby a wide door opening will be sealed cf;- fectively at its lateral edges-when the door -is closed against the leakage of coal therethrough. This object may be accom ished, according to certain embodiments of this invention, by the provision of, means provided in cooperating relation'with the-edge of the door and the adjacent portion of the car structure in overlapping rela' ti on'with the crack between each edge of the door and "the adjacents'i'de sill structure for sealing this-crack effectively against the leakage of coal or'other loose lading therethrough and without "interfering withthe normal -opening and "closing 'movements of the door. Suc-h "a closing my be ,provided, "for instance, by the attachment of a fieidble steel 'strip' to one or --the other -of the members in position'ftof-overlap thecrack and without '"interfering 1 with the relative vertical movementsjtherebetween "Certain embodiments df theinventionare' illusd in the "accompanying drawings in which;

if is a 'side"elevation of a mine car to which nvention may be applied;

througm u Fig, 3 a cross; section on "the l 3 .p

'fla onii'art ew: showing a musings 14 Claims. (01. 105-364) The invention is ShOWIl'fiS applied to a :mine

car of the four-wheel type, although it is equally applicable to eight-wheel or other types of bottom dump ears, 'or vehicles, shown merely tor purpose of illustration, as adapted to travel m1 2.

track formed by rails R. The car is shown as comprising a body having side and end walls I and 2 supportedon side sills =3, at each opposite side of the body. The frame structure of the car comprising the side sills '3 and the combined end sills and bumpers 4, is supper-ted ion wheels 5, adapted to travel on the track R.

l he car illustrated is of the bottom dumping type, the space between the side sills .3 being open, except as it is :closed by drop bottom doors generally. designated li three'of which are shown.

These doors ii are latched in closed positions and are adapted to be released to discharge the lading from thecar.

Each door 6 extends from side-,to-sidepf the lading body between the opposed-side-sills .3. with a crack between each edge of the door 6, and the adjacent side sill, as will be evident in the Usually each edge of the do or s is formed integral with the door. plate or separate; .as shown, and indicated at l in Fig. 3. In this .form, the .flange bar 7 1 extends lengthwise .of the door plate and is welded thereto. Preferably a substantially -straight bar may be used for the purpose, the door. '6 also being substantially straight and plane throughout the major portion of its length. This flange =bar l 'at each edge of the door ii; is adapted to extend up into the space lbetween the opposed side-sills when the :door is in closed position. Usually the doors are closed by closing devices mounted in the track R, and are latched atthe'ir free edges. This-requires the upward movement of the doors to points iabove the closed positions thereof in the latching or uhlatching of the doors.

In the hauling of coal or other loose lading,

, the latter often slits out through the radesme- 'vide'd between -the doorfand "thejadjac'ent side si-l-l unless provision is made 'to seal theispace between-the edges of the door and the sills. 'fIfh'e 2' 'aflongitudirfali sectional 'viewtheresealing means here provided is constructed so'as .to overlap the orack between eah lateral edge of the door and the adjacent-side sill, will gpreventi leakage through '-the c'zraek and will 7 permit upward :movement of the door to a point Where it. may .be latch-ed; andithen itmsettle own 7 again inlatched,positiom'relatine tort'he sid'e 'sill.

, I q fw-m'shpwnin {Fi s .12 to: 14.1. was: sea-ling indicated at 8-, which may be formed of a strip of spring steel extending lengthwise throughout the major portion of the length of the door 6, at each lateral edge thereof, and attached thereto at 9, as by riveting, Welding or other suitable means for the purpose. The leaf spring 8 is shownas secured to the'under side of the door plate 6' andof sufficient width to overlap the crack between the edge of the door and the adjacent side sill 3. The spring steel should be of suflicient stifiness to hold any soft coal or other lading that may sift down through the crack against leakage from the car, and yet sufficiently yieldable to permit upward movement of the door 6, above its normally closed position in Fig. 3, in moving to its latched position by the interconnection of the doors and the latching of the rearmost door as normally operated. The steel spring 8 is so placed that it will yield in varying tension as the door moves to different positions relative to the side sill.

In closing these doors, they do not always come exactly to the point where they should come theoretically. Therefore, an important feature of this invention is the fact that even if the door is a little higher than it should be, the flexing of the member 8 will permit the seal to be made efiectively. The lower edge of the door, throughout the major portion of its length, normally will be supported above the lower edge of the side sill, and yet the spring member 8, due to its resiliency and flexing, will seal this crack effectively against the sifting of fine coal between the door and the side sill.

Even if the door is supported so low as to hold the sealing member 8 below the side sill, out of contact therewith, the relatively wide horizontal overlapping of the side sill and sealing member 3, will be effective to prevent the sifting of fine coal therebetween.

Wheel hoods are provided at It over the wheels 5. The spring steel plate 8 is intended to extend substantially throughout the space between the hoods l and from each hood to the adjacent end of the car, so as to seal the doors substantiallyfrom end-to-end of the car, except where the door is adjacent to the inside vertical wall of the wheel hood. As shown in Fig. 2, the door plate is substantially horizontal between the wheel hoods and is bent-upward at its opposite ends toward the car axles on which the doors are supported in the form illustrated. Deflecting tie plates ll extend over the axles which will seal the door adjacent to the wheel hoods, and additional deflector plates may be provided along the inner faces of the wheel hoods, if desired, as set forth more fully in my prior application for Mine Car Sealing Devices, Serial No.

of the separate flange bar 1, as in 3, the other parts being substantially thesame as described above and functioning in the same manner.

In Fig. 5, the door is shown at 6' of greater width than the space between the side sills 3,

so as to extend laterally between the side sills with the flange bar 7 outside each adjacent side sill 3. The mounting of the doorB' is such as to allow a crack, of substantial depth-between the door plate and the side sill 3 to perm'it upward movement of the door in its closing action before it is latched, without such movement being prevented by the side sill.

In Fig. 5, a constant clearance is provided between the bottom of the sill and the top of the door, so the door can be raised above its normal position for latching Without coming in contact with the bottom of the angle sill 3. The flange bar 1 may be omitted entirely, if desired, because there would be little loss of coal working out laterally through a wide crack of little vertical depth.

Whilethe invention has been illustrated and described in certain embodiments, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein, without departing from the invention, except as specified in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle having a lading body with separated side sill structures and having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a drop bottom door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the side sill structures,

means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movable means for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the door for opening,.said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures to a point about the closed positionthereof for movement of the engaging means into holding position relative thereto, and means carried by the door and extending laterally therefrom in underlying relation with the adjacent side sill structuresin different positions of the door'relative thereto and in position for closing the cracks therebetween.

2. In a vehicle having a lading body with separated side sill structures and having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a drop bottom door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the side sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movable means for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures to a point about the closed position thereof for movement of the engaging means into holding position relative thereto, and resilient means carried by the door adjacent each lateral edge thereof in underlying relation with the adjacent side sill structure in diiferent positions of the door relative thereto and substantially closing the crack therebetween for preventing leakage therethrough, said resilient means being arrangedto vary the tension on the side sill structure for different adjusted positions of the door relative to the side sill structure.

' 3. In a vehicle having a lading body with separatedside sill structures and having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a drop. bottomdoorfor closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the side sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending, transversely of the .vehicle, movable means for engaging theoppositeedge portion of th .QQ IF Qi'. hol in the oor e a j ableto release thedoo'r foropening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative tof. the side sill structures. to a point about the closed position' thereof for emovement'of the engaging means into holding :position relative thereto, and'a spring member carried by the door adjacent each lateral edge thereof and extending in underlying relation with the adjacent side sill structure indifferent positions of the door relative thereto and, substantially closing the crack therebetween, said spring being arranged to vary the tension on the side sill structure for difierent adjusted positions of the door relative thereto.

4. In a vehicle having a lading body with separated side sill structures and having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a drop bottom door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the side sill structures,

means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movable means for engaging the opposite edge portionof the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures to a point about the closed position thereof for movement of the engaging means into holding position relative thereto, and a spring member carried by the door adjacent each lateral edge thereof and ex- 7 tending in underlying relation with the adjacent side sill structure in difi'erent positions of the door relative thereto and, substantially closing the crack therebetween both prior to and after movement of the door into engaged position,

said springmember being inposition to yield to upward movement of the door relative to the side sill structures to an abnormal position with respect thereto, said spring being arranged to vary the tension on the side sill structure for different adjusted positions of the door relative thereto.

5. Ina vehiclehaving a lading body with separated side sill structures and having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a drop bottomdoor for closing said-opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the side sill structures, meansmounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movable means for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the .door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means rel-- ative' tothe side sill structures to a point about the closed position thereof for movement of the engaging means into holding position relative theretoyand a plate carried by the door and forming an extension thereon at each lateral edge thereof underlying the side sill structure for closing the crack therebetween.

6. In a vehicle havinga ladingbody with separated; sill structures-and having an opening therebetween for the dischargeof lading therethrough, a door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of thel'dooron the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely ofthe vehicle, movableineans for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures to a point about the closed position thereof for movement ofthe' engaging means into holding position-relative thereto, and means carried by the door and extending laterally therefrom in underlying relation with the adjacent sill structures indifferent positions'of the door relative thereto 'and in position for closing the cracks therebetween.

7. In a vehicle having a lading bodywith separated sill structures and having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movable means for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed-and movable to release the door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures to a point about the closed position thereof for movement of theengaging means into holding position relative thereto, and resilient means carried by the door adjacent each lateral edge thereof in underlying relation with the adjacent sill structure indifferent positions of the door relative thereto and substantially closing the crack therebetween for preventing leakage therethrough, said resilient means being arranged to vary the tension on the side sill structure for different adjusted positions of the door relative to the side sillstructure. 8; In a vehicle having a lading body with separated sill structures and having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle,'movable means for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures to a point about the closed position thereof for move- .ment of the engaging means into holding position side sill structurefor different adjusted positions of the doorrelative thereto. V

- 9. In a vehicle having a lading body with separated side sill structures and having an opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a plurality of drop bottom doors between the side sill structures forclosing said opening and having cracks between the lateral edges of the doors and the sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of each of the doors for swinging movement about anaxis extending transversely of the vehicle and withadjacent edge portions in overlapped relation insupported positions, one off the doors being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill; structures above the-lower edges thereof to a point appreciably abovethe closed position thereof, and resilient means carried by each door adjacent each lateral edge thereof in underlying relation with the adjacent side sill structure and substantially closing the crack therebetween forpreventing leakage therethrough, said resilient means being arranged to vary the tension on the side sill structure ,for different adjusted positions of .the .door relative to the side sill structure. J

10. In a vehicle having a lading body with separated side sill structures and having an opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a plurality of drop bottom doors between the sidesill .structures for closing said opening and-having cracks between the lateral edges of the doors and the sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of each of the doors for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely ,of the vehicle and with adjacent edge portions in overlapped relation in supported positions, one of the. doors being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures above the lower edges thereof to a point appreciably above the closed position thereof, and'a leaf spring carried by each door adjacent each lateral edge thereof and throughout the major portion of the length thereof and underlying the adjacent sidesill structure substantially closing the crack therebetween for preventing leakage therethrough, said spring being arranged to vary the tension on the side sill structure for different adjusted positions of the door relative thereto.

11. In a vehicle having a lading body with separated side sill structures vand having a bottom opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a drop bottom door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the side sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle forswinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movable means for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to releasethe door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structure to a point above the closed position thereof for movement of the engaging means into holding position relative thereto, and means for closing the crack against the leakage of lading therethrough, including a member carried by the-door at the edge thereof in overlapping relationv with the crack and in position to engage the adjacent side sill structure during the closing movement of the door.

12. In a vehicle having a lading body with separated sill structures and having an opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges of the door and the sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an-axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movablemeans for engaging theopposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structure to a point above the closed position thereof for movement vcf the engaging means into holding position relative-thereto, andmeans for closing the cracks between the door and the sill structures and forming a wiping action therebetween in the closing movement of the door, said closing means comprising a cantilever leaf spring fixed at one edge,to theedgaof the door and having the of the door.

13. In a vehicle having a .lading body with separated side sill structures and having an opening therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a plurality of drop bottom doors between the side sill structures for closing said opening and having cracks between the lateral edges of the doors and the sill structures, means mounting an edge portion of each of the doors for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle and with adjacent edge portions in overlapped relation in supported positions, one of the doors being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structures above the lower edges thereof to a point appreciably above the closed position thereof, and a resilient member carried by each door adjacent a lateral edge thereof in position to engage the adjacent side sill structure in wiping relation therewith during the closing movement of the door for preventing leakage of lading there through, said resilient member being arranged to vary the coacting wiping pressure on the adjacent elementin different positions of the door.

14; In a vehicle having a lading body with separated side sill structures and having a bottom opening'therebetween for the discharge of lading therethrough, a dropbottom door for closing said opening and having cracks between said edges .of the door and the side sill'structures, means mounting an edge portion of the door on the vehicle for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle, movable means for engaging the opposite edge portion of the door for holding the door closed and movable to release the door for opening, said door being movable on the mounting means relative to the side sill structure to a point-above the closed position thereof 'for movement of the engaging means into holding position relative thereto, and means for closing the crack against the leakage of lading therethrough, including a member carried by one of said members in overlapping relation with the crack and in position to engage the other of said members during the closing movement of the door.

- HUGH W. SANFORD.

' REFERENCES CITED 1 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Reid Apr. 1, 

